Remind Me To Remember
by AlwaysOnMyWayToYou
Summary: Trapped between huge concrete walls, where time seems to be standing still, 17 year old Emma Swan lives, goes to school, eats, sleeps, secretly admires beautiful Miss Mills and grows more and more frustrated as to why no one is aging and most importantly... why nobody else seems to notice. The moment it all falls apart, but really all clicks together... time is running out.
1. I'm rather self-destructive

**A/N: Okay, this is something completely different from anything I've every written.  
It's AU but bare with me because it might take a while before things become clear. This is going to be a mysterious one...**  
 **I'd say the world the story is situated in is a mix between post-apocalyptic futuristic and fairytale-ish. Kinda weird combo, I'm aware.**  
 **I dreamt parts of it and then connected some dots to form a story so if it's weird...  
That's probably because I had one too many drinks before going to sleep that night.  
I have everything written out... and it's turned out to be a 7 chapter short story.  
I'll be updating every few days, unless there's absolutely no interest whatsoever. Then I'll just leave it for what it is. **

**Feel free to share your thoughts, doubts, likes and dislikes... (Please be nice) :)**

 **No beta, still not a native English speaker and only human.**

 **HERE WE GO**

Trapped between huge concrete walls, where time seems to be standing still, 17 year old Emma Swan lives, goes to school, eats, sleeps, secretly admires beautiful Miss Mills and grows more and more frustrated as to why no one is aging and most importantly... why nobody else seems to notice.

Secrets, lies, memories and an apple tree.

The moment it all falls apart, but really all clicks together... time is running out.

 **REMIND ME TO REMEMBER**

 **CHAPTER 1**

 **EMMA'S POV**

These walls are high.

They always have been.

I don't know if they're thick.  
Feels like they are.

When I put my hands against it, to me it seems like there isn't even another side.

As if the concrete goes on forever into infinity.  
That's probably not true.  
I hope it's not.

That would mean there's absolutely no way out.

But who knows, maybe there isn't.

What if there isn't?

Great, now I'm starting to think there isn't.

I hope I'm wrong.

I've been here for as long as I can remember.

How far back can I remember?  
Well, I feel utterly stupid for not even remembering _that._

How is that even possible?

I've stopped aging. We all have.

I do have clear memories of being younger, being around people I once loved…  
It's just that I don't remember who they are.  
In my dreams I see faces that I feel should be familiar.  
They aren't, but they still make me feel safe.

The others don't have dreams.  
I'd used to tell them about mine but they'd always get annoyed that I kept making up stuff.  
You read about dreams… but you don't actually have them.

The guys say I think too much.  
They always laugh at how suspicious I am about things.

I guess they're right for making fun of me.  
But honestly? I know they hate their lives just as much.

Some days, this, all of this, just feels like we're waiting. But for what?

We learn our asses off but really, why bother?  
I speak seven languages fluently by now. Not that they could ever come in handy...  
They've been ancient and unused for centuries. It's mere brain training.

I just mean that I think I'm as smart as I'll ever be.

Except I know nothing, do I?

Fuck this is frustrating.

"Good afternoon, class."

 _Regina_

She walks in and damn she's as gorgeous as she was last night in my dream.

She never ceases to amaze me with her beauty.  
I swallow and try to focus on her words.

I hate what she does to me.  
She sometimes even makes me happy that I'm here, wherever _here_ is,  
just so I can lay eyes on her.

She smiles.

"I hope you've all finished your assignments." Her voice is friendly but stern.

Of course I've finished it. It's been finished for two weeks.

It's not surprising, since I've lost count on how many times I've actually written this particular paper.

And really, I'd never let her down. Not if I can help it.

Her heals click against the floor elegantly, like they always do,  
as she goes through the class to collect the assignments.

She stands next to my desk and smiles.

"Miss Swan." One of her eyebrows arch into a perfect bow. I'm lost.

She tilts her head.

"Miss. I'm sorry." I reach for my gray binder and take out the bundle of papers before handing it to her.

Our hands brush lightly. Just slightly.  
It's an accident but let me tell you, I really really don't mind.

She retracts her hand quickly.  
She's either really disgusted by the thought of touching me or she didn't notice and wants to hurry collecting these papers.

I sigh, -not for the first time- realizing I'm a fool.

I'm not sure how many of us there are.

But there's a lot.

We're all divided into groups, based on our age.

Ours is the oldest group. Always has been…

Always will be, I'm afraid.

The facility is run by Cora Mills. Or well, Headmistress Mills.  
She's everyone's boss and nightmare. At least I know she's mine.  
The way she looks at me always makes my blood run cold. I shiver at the mere thought of her eyes.  
The weirdest thing and biggest mystery of my life is...  
She's actually Miss Mills' mother and I can't begin to imagine how that even works.  
They look nothing alike.  
Not in their appearances and most certainly not in the way they make me feel.

"Swan, what have you been up to? I didn't catch you during lunch."

I look at Killian and shake my head a little.

"Sorry captain, wasn't hungry. Missed me?" I wink.

He grins and chuckles. "Every breathing moment you're not near, babe."  
And I laugh because this is what we do. He knows me so well.

I'd do anything for him, as he does for me.

Okay, he thinks I'm totally crazy and weird but that doesn't stop him from loving me just the way I am.

He doesn't question every single thing I say or do.

It's okay, that way he doesn't doubt _me_ either.

He knows I like her. A lot. That I am like that.  
Others would probably suspect it too, if they wouldn't blindly believe that Killian and I are an item.

I tell a lot with my eyes. Try to lie with words but am not very skilled at it.  
Luckily, he's a great actor. He saves me every day, the way he lies.  
I'd be in so much trouble if Mrs Mills would find out how I felt about her daughter.

So we keep up our act, every day.

I know he'd want to, he's a teenage boy… but he doesn't actually get to kiss me.  
Not really. Pecks on the lips, that's as far as I let him and he can hold me.  
It's actually nice.

I do enjoy it, being held. Even though it means something different for both of us. He's told me that, but he understands my feelings too.

"Hey wanna skip next period?"  
I mouth him very subtle, not wanting to get caught by Miss Mills.

"Again? You're never gonna become a chemist this way." He chuckles.

"Ssssht." I shush him and roll my eyes.  
Because honestly, how can they all still believe we're ever becoming anything?

The only times we get into an argument is when I blame him for being naive.  
He doesn't seem to get it.  
None of them do.  
That's when my friends call me crazy.  
When I point out how we're not aging.  
They wave it off. All of them… Neal, August too, Ruby and Belle…

I always loose those arguments, no one ever backs me up on the matter.

I don't get it. But after all this time I've kind of gotten used to it.

I shrug my shoulders and focus on Mills.

 _Mills, fuck where do you keep getting those dresses?_

Today she's wearing a deep blue one. A plunging neckline.  
Not the lowest I've seen on her, but I've got my imagination.  
This number reaches her knees.  
Her hair rests on her shoulders. Hanging gorgeously loose around her face.  
She must notice how my eyes take all of her in, every day.  
Or not.  
but if she does, which I really really believe (how can she not),  
she doesn't seem to mind.  
Well, at least not enough to call me out on it. Opting to ignore it.

"Miss Swan?"  
Fuck! I should have made myself listen like… one or two minutes earlier.

"yeah?" I breathlessly ask because I'm nervous…

…the way she eyes me.

"You haven't been paying attention, have you, Miss Swan?"

She's annoyed. _Great._

I sigh and can only manage to look down in shame, admitting the obvious.

She looks disappointed and doesn't grant me another glance that class.

When the bell chimes loudly and I quickly get up to leave and run to my hiding place, she calls for me.

"Miss Swan, a word please." Her voice sounds so cold.

I sit back down and probably look as deflated as I feel.

I can't bring myself to actually look at her as she steps closer towards me.  
She keeps a professional distance though. As per usual.

"You can't keep spacing out, Miss Swan. I know you're a smart young woman. But you can't slack now. How do you expect to learn anything new?"

I have to keep myself from snorting at that.  
Seriously? New?

But her voice actually sounds a little warmer than before and she definitely sounds sincere in her concern.  
This makes me want to lock eyes with her.  
Hers bore into mine in question.

I shake my head and hope she doesn't think I'm crazy for what I'm about to say.

"Miss Mills. I" I want to tell her I know all of the stuff she's teaching us already.  
She's taught us the same things dozens of times.  
They all somehow seem to forget. But I don't, it's frustrating.

So as I was saying… I want to tell her this but then decide against it and take a different approach.

"Have you ever had the feeling that all of this, is leading nowhere?"  
She seems to be taken aback by my words.  
I don't want to scare her off and sigh.  
Her eyes narrow.

She clearly doesn't understand and so I already have my answer.

She's never felt like that, no.

"Nevermind, I'm sorry. It won't happen again."  
I then get up to leave the room but she doesn't let me.

Because when all of the sudden I feel a hand on my shoulder, my breathing stops.  
This is the first time she's touched me without it being an accident.

I'm paralyzed.

She shakes her head and actually looks concerned.

"Emma." Damn she uses my first name and I melt.  
She probably feels it through my shirt where her hand is still resting on my shoulder.

Then _wow_ , she squeezes her fingers there slightly.

"What are you talking about?"  
I'm pretty sure I've never heard her speak in such a soft tone.

"Miss I…"  
I probably should stop speaking.  
She's gonna tell her mother I'm crazy and that will have nothing but horrible consequences for me.  
Mrs Mills hates me enough as it is.

But apparently, I'm rather self-destructive…

"Why aren't we aging?"  
I ask her, so very scared that she might actually know the answer.

"I know it's not supposed to be like this. I've read books, people grow old."

She studies my face in clear confusion and I know I'm dead meat.

"Emma, we do grow old."  
She shakes her head, surely thinking I'm completely nuts.

"But we don't." I sigh. "Miss… Please don't look at me like that."

I really want to cry.  
But I don't.  
I don't think I have ever let myself.

"Honestly I don't know how I can get anyone to believe me.  
All of my friends think I'm crazy."  
She tilts her head and I can just see the pity in her eyes.  
It's probably dawned on her that I'm going to be needing a lot of therapy for my weird behavior.

My heart sinks into my gut and I become desperate to make her believe me.

My voice is slightly raised when I continue.

"Look I'm sorry I spaced out today, again. But I've seen this stuff before."  
She now shakes her head.  
"Miss Swan, you're lying. We both know"  
I interrupt her.  
I know I shouldn't because she's… well she's her.  
But I have to make her see, don't I?

"Tomorrow you're gonna tell us about fears and how they form us.  
How it's important we realize the dangers of trying to face them.  
How that could completely destroy us"

My breathing is heavy because –newsflash- I'm extremely upset.  
This time, she tries to interrupt me but I don't let her.  
I'm not finished.  
"and I'll think it bullshit once again."

Her eyes are wide.  
She takes a step back and straightens her posture.  
Completely cold again.

"Miss Swan. I don't know how and I don't know when but you have been through my folders and that is unacceptable.  
I hope you realize, this will have severe consequences.'

My jaw drops and I can't believe this is happening.  
I should have never opened my big mouth.  
I should have shut up before I even started.

"I'm going to have to have a word with the principle."

Somehow, I involuntarily start to shake at the mention of that woman.

I know it's fear. I've been taught about the subject multiple times after all.

"Please don't. I haven't touched your stuff. I wouldn't… you can trust me!" I plead.

"Save it, Miss Swan. I've had enough of your nonsense."

I take a step forward, fast and then grab her arm.  
I really shouldn't have done that.  
As cold as her tone is, her skin is the exact opposite.  
So incredibly warm beneath my fingers.  
Her sleeves are bunched up so I'm actually touching her skin.  
Her eyes have grown wide, wider than I've ever seen them as she looks down at my hand on her lower arm.

"Emma." She breathes.  
I'm taken over by desperation and can't bring myself to let go.  
It's not that I have a tight grip on her, not at all, but I _am_ still holding her.

She doesn't seem to be able to form words.  
I wonder what she's thinking.  
See all of this goes really really fast.

Her voice is shaky.

"Emma you have to let go of me."  
And I do. She asks me to, so I do.

I bite my lip because I know I'm in deep trouble.  
My eyes are looking everywhere except for at the gorgeous brunette woman in front of me.

If I had looked at her I'd seen her eyes still locked onto the patch of skin I'd held onto just moments before.

When eventually, I do look up, I see her walk out.  
And honestly, I have no idea of what just happened.

I'm fairly certain it wasn't anything too positive though.

After about two minutes I too exit the classroom and storm my way to the only place I've ever felt somewhat safe.

When I reach the back of the building I look around carefully,  
making sure no one is following.

Once I've turned the last corner I can already see the low opening near the furthest wall.  
I lay on my stomach and roll myself to the other side.  
I'm clueless as to why the opening is there, but am so glad it is.

Getting up, I lean against the stone wall.  
This one, I know, isn't infinitely thick.  
When I look up I see a branch of some sort.  
It's always been there.

Just like I've always been here.  
It's a tree I imagine.  
I've read about those.  
I've seen drawings.  
I'm supposed to believe they don't exist…

But ever since I've seen this single branch poke out from the other side of the wall, I've known it's _so_ real.

It's a tree of the apple type, I believe.  
Because… well, it's got apples hanging from it.  
When the sky is blue and the air is warm, that is.

I've seen apples.  
I've eaten apples.  
I don't get what they do hanging from trees though.  
Mr Wales told us fruits are made in factories.

You know, just like water and air.

The wall I'm standing against isn't very high.  
Almost three meters.  
I've seen much higher.  
Most of the walls of this… thing are at least three times as high.

I love how I can see the sky, seeing as there's no roof.  
In the courtyard there isn't any either but it's so loud out there and obviously less secluded.  
Here I can be alone with my thoughts.

Here, no one thinks I'm crazy.

This branch up there, is the only other living thing I've ever seen that doesn't judge me.  
It's both a sad and a good thought.  
That's when I realize… that piece of wood has more of a life than I do.  
At least it knows what's on both sides of the concrete.  
I wish I spoke it's language.

That way I could ask it all of the questions I have.

I hope I'm not crazy  
and I wish with all of my might…  
they never get me to actually believe that I am.

* * *

 **To be continued...**


	2. How do I know that?

**THANK YOU for the follows and reviews peeps :3!**

 **If you thought the first chapter was weird...**

 **Here's what happens next :O**

 **Oh and I'll be switching POV's throughout the story... But only between the girls :) (duh)**

 **CHAPTER 2**

 **REGINA'S POV**

She confuses me.  
She's always done that, but not to this extent.

The things she's said.  
She really sounded sincere about them.  
But she can't be.

And then when she touched me… grabbed my arm, that was way out of line.  
But her touch.  
I've got my left hand over the spot on my right arm where her palm has been.

If she is sincere about the things she's said, she's sick in her head.  
That thought isn't very great either.

If Emma has mental issues, I'm going to have to inform mother of it and Emma will not like that, obviously.  
But if I have to, I will.

The look in the young blonde's eyes though… so pleading.

I sigh and then go back to grading today's papers.

When I get to Miss Swan's I'm not really surprised at how perfect it is once again. She _does_ seem to be incredibly smart.  
Especially for never even paying attention in class.

I'm pulled from my thoughts when I hear a knock on the door.

"Come in." I keep my head down, lowered over my desk.  
That can only be one person anyway.

"Mother." I welcome her.

"Regina, dear." She walks towards me and puts a single hand on my shoulder, placing a cup of tea beside me with the other.

"Here. Take a break. Talk to mother. You seemed distressed today during supper."

Her voice is gentle but I know she's going to interrogate me until she knows every single thought that's going through my mind.  
I know she only wants what's best for me though.

"There there" she pats my knee as I take my first sip of the scalding tea.

"Mmm that's great mother. Thank you."

She doesn't say anything, just eyes me expectantly.  
I know she's waiting for me to spill my every thought.

For some reason I'm slightly hesitant.  
Always am. Just a little.  
It's ridiculous because I know I can trust her, so I confide in her.  
Always do. Entirely.

"Emma Swan acted strange today." I start off.

Her eyes narrow instantly at the mention of the blonde.

"She's always been a difficult girl, Regina."  
She says, as if trying to dismiss the subject of Miss Swan.

I'm not ready though and continue.

"Yes mother but"  
Mother doesn't like it when I start off a sentence that way…

BUT sometimes it just happens.

I watch her wince and complete my thought

"today she asked my why we're not aging. I'm really concerned about her."

Mother's eyes widen slightly.  
Her eyebrows rise and I must admit, I'm a little confused about her reaction.  
Her eyes tell me something, but sadly I don't speak their language.

My heart races a bit. I'm not sure why.

Mother get's up and puts her hand on my shoulder again.  
Calming my nerves effectively.  
I stop worrying right away and sigh content.

"Don't worry about it, dear." She says.

"Okay mother, I won't." I hear myself say.  
It's funny. Mother always fixes everything.  
I have no idea what I'd do without her.

She leaves me with the rest of my cup of tea and I get back to grading the rest of the papers. Miss Swan's comes out as the best.

That girl is doing such a great job. She's going places.

 **EMMA'S POV**

The nights are turning colder again.  
Days are too, but it's harder during nighttime.  
As I grow colder, my blanket does not grow thicker.

I get up and walk towards the shared bathroom.  
Seeing as the lights haven't been turned on yet it's still dark so I'm walking rather slow, waiting for my eyes to adjust.  
I get to the closest sink and turn on the water.  
Cold as well. Obviously.  
I wash my face and look at myself in the mirror.  
My skin looks dark blue without lighting.  
I smile, not believing my own features. And then chuckle.

When I feel a presence in the same room I look behind me.

"Hi Rubes." I softly greet her. Not wanting to wake the rest of the girls yet.

"Hey Em. Up so early?" She yawns.

"I kinda shivered myself awake" I laugh softly and she nods.  
She doesn't have to tell me for me to know she woke up the same way.

I look at her in the mirror and try my smile again.  
She doesn't believe it either, I realize.  
I'm happy she doesn't and then smile for real.  
She does too.  
We continue our morning rituals in silence until the rest wakes up and does the same.

First class is biology.  
Having seen this stuff over and over again it's too easy for me.

So, I can either be active in class and answer all of Mr Wales questions.  
Or I can space out and still pass effortlessly.  
The second option allows me to think of anything but this and here and now.  
So naturally, that's what I choose to do.

"Miss Swan, follow me."  
Her voice is razor sharp and time after time hurts my ears when I hear it.  
 _What the fuck is she doing here?_

Mr Wale looks at me and gestures for me to follow her.  
I have no idea what's happened and why I'm supposed to go with her.  
I gather my stuff and get up, following the infuriating Cora Mills through the hallways, towards her- gulp- office.

"Sit." She says without looking at me.  
I do.  
I hate complying to her but I figure her asking me to sit down should be the least of my worries right now.

I'm already seated in front of her when she finally spares me her first glance.  
It's kind of like her face is making an attempt at looking friendly and it's fucking scary.  
I'm not showing her that I'm afraid though.  
My breathing's slow. I'm actually actively controlling it.  
Yup, I'm so in control of myself.  
I'm so in control of the situation.  
It's a mantra in my head that I focus on.

That is, until I notice how her lips are moving and she's speaking and I should be listening. _Shit! Swan! Pay attention!_

See, I have this talent where I can shut out every single thing around me.  
Only, sometimes the talent takes me by surprise and gets me in trouble.

Luckily this time I manage to catch up with her words right in time.

 _Obviously, I really wouldn't want to miss what she's about to say._

"I'd hate for you to think you're special Miss Swan. Because you're anything but."

Her mouth is curled upwards into a crooked smile.

She's ugly.  
I can't believe this is the woman that gave birth to the gorgeous goddess that is Regina Mills.  
Miss Mills's father must be impossibly handsome.

Her nose curls up at my thoughts.  
My eyes widen in shock.  
I didn't say that out loud did I?  
Maybe I'm thinking too loud. _Shit._  
Her eyes seem to be on fire.

I'm scared shitless but swallow down my fears and tighten my jaw.  
I don't want to be the first to break eye contact.  
She tilts her head slightly and looks at me like I'm some kind of weird species. Maybe I am.

I've stopped breathing at this point.  
Then will myself to stop thinking too.  
She's prying in my head. I have no idea how but she is.  
I try to read her eyes. What are they saying?  
Something wicked I figure.  
Something hateful. Of that I'm sure and I tilt my head as well.  
 _Fuck what are you doing, Swan? Don't challenge her!_

She's looking at me in disgust.

Her mouth tastes like blood from biting her tongue.  
 _What the fuck? How do I know that?_  
I'm in shock.  
My jaw slams open at the realization.  
The wicked twinkle of shock in her eyes tells me she's just as surprised as I am.

The next thing I know she's standing up and takes my arm.  
Forcing me to stand up as well.  
She drags me towards a door I hadn't even noticed was there.  
Perhaps it wasn't. I'm pretty sure it wasn't.  
It's a door that wasn't there before that's now somehow magically appeared.  
That's when it hits me…  
Oh my fucking god this woman has magic.  
I'm in deep shit.

Suddenly everything makes sense.  
Or well nothing makes sense anymore.  
But somehow that is exactly what makes everything click together for me.

It gives me a sense of strength somehow because if what I know is true,  
anything is possible right?  
It's all scary now but some day it might be something great as well.

I try to think positive.  
For the first time in forever I'm forming an actual positive thought.  
The feeling is exciting and exhilarating.

I don't even notice how she's dragged me towards some kind of white tile covered room. It's like one of the hallways but wider and there's no one here.

I'm cold.  
Colder than I was last night even.  
I am shivering and she isn't. How's that?  
It's a horrible feeling when I realize I'm butt naked.  
I'm completely exposed.  
Not a trace of my clothes, anywhere.  
She still has a very tight grip on my arm.  
I'm a strong girl.  
I actually sometimes manage to win against August when we arm wrestle.  
But this woman is so forceful, she easily leads me to where she wants me.

When she lets go of my arm, I want to run,  
but I can't bring my body to actually do so.  
I realize she's done something to me.  
I can move, yes.  
But I can't move from the place where I'm standing.  
It's so very creepy.  
I've always been imprisoned here,  
but this spot where I'm standing now, is physically the smallest place I've ever been trapped in.

I know I'm naked but I don't want to look vulnerable in front of her.  
She doesn't get to have the satisfaction of breaking me.  
So I stand my ground and leave my arms next to my body.  
My chest is heaving from anger and my feet are freezing against the white tiles.  
My teeth almost betray me as they clash together from the cold for a split second but I put my tongue between them.  
Biting on the only warm thing about my body right now.  
I look at her.  
I'm furious.  
How can she do this?  
What the hell is she doing?

"As I was saying…. I would hate for you to think you're special, Emma Swan."  
She spits at me.  
The words, but she actually spits at me too.  
It lands on my feet and I want to puke right on the spot.  
She grins.  
What a horrible sight.

"I'm sorry Cora, but something about this whole situation makes me believe it's you who thinks I'm special."  
I actually manage to say.  
I actually sound confident and I'm so proud of myself.  
If I would be able to move and not be frozen into place I'd pat myself on the shoulder but yeah, we can't have it all right?

She growls and shakes her head, she's going to talk and I will myself to listen again.

"Oh no trust me you're just a piece of filth. Nothing special about you at all. Just something horribly wrong."  
And I inwardly laugh at how ironic that is for her to say on the actual day that I found out how I've been right all my life.  
She notices my amusement and hates me even more.  
I love that little fact.  
Her loathing only grows.

That's fine, mine does too.

It's some kind of back and forth game.  
I'm pretty sure she wants to get rid of me, but her curiosity wins over.  
I shouldn't fear for my life.  
She's too fascinated.  
But I must admit that I really didn't expect what happened next.

I have no idea how I've missed that little fact but above my head had been a sprinkler. It's like some kind of shower head but less homey.

A lot less homey.

The water that comes out takes about 0.02 seconds to hit my head and run over my naked body.  
It takes about 0.03 seconds to knock the breath out of me.  
It's freezing cold and I think I'm dying.  
Somewhere in the back of her mind I know she won't let me though.  
Still, for what seems like forever it feels as if I'm dying.  
I can't believe I'm dying.

She's still looking at me.  
I can feel her eyes on me.  
It's gross.  
She thinks I have a nice body, and then seems to stop thinking all together.  
I'm amused and force myself to actively think about how happy I am about this water washing her disgusting spit from my feet.

The water hitting my skin turns a little colder and I almost regret thinking the things I have but I never really could.  
I stop feeling her eyes on me and know that I'm alone.

I actually feel some sort of victory washing over me.  
I shut out everything.  
I love my talent.  
I still feel cold but I'm not dying anymore.  
My mind wanders off.

I don't know how long I've been standing here, hours I think.  
I get pulled from my thoughts as the water turns off.  
You'd think I'm happy but I'm not.  
I was happy in my trance.  
Kind of.  
At least I wasn't this miserable.  
The information I've gathered today is highly disturbing.  
Why the hell am I standing here?  
What does she even want from me.  
I'm back in my trance.

And then I feel it.  
Eyes. On me. Not Cora's.  
These aren't filled with hatred.  
I turn around. Still not able to actually move from my spot.

"Emma?!" Regina's voice echoes loudly through the white room.  
She doesn't come closer at first.  
Frozen is shock I gather.

I gulp and brace myself for what's coming.  
This is extremely humiliating.  
 _Fuck Swan._

She takes teenie tiny steps into my direction.  
She's hesitant.  
Probably because of my inappropriate lack of attire.

I can't blame her.

I blush.  
I'm kind of happy about feeling myself blush since I was beginning to fear my blood had been frozen.

See that's me… Emma- Always look on the bright side of life-Swan.

I'm not feeling very brave right now and cross my arms over my chest.  
Trying to hide at least some parts of myself.  
I cross my legs and turn my body sideways.

She's looking incredibly confused.  
Of course she is. This must seem fucking weird.

"Miss Swan." Oh yay formalities, just what I need.  
"What are you doing here…" She's so confused  
"And why… why are you nude?" and weirded out, obviously.

I swallow thickly as I'm not sure how to answer.  
At least her eyes stay on my face, unlike her mother's.  
I don't know if that bothers or pleases me but I shrug off the thought.  
I force myself to look her in the eyes.

"I'm sorry Miss Mills. I'm…" I hesitate, still not sure of what it is I'm saying. "punished."  
I think that's the truth.  
I would have gone for tortured, but I'm guessing Cora could do much much worse. Although I hope I'll never have to find out.

Regina has no clue of what's happening.  
She tries to search my eyes for lies, but comes up empty handed.

"I don't understand. This is extremely inappropriate. Who punished you like this?"

She asks and I know she demands an answer.  
I'm not sure if I should give her one.

I sigh and do anyway.

"Cora."

She doesn't realize who I mean right away.  
Being used to the formalities and all.

Then, when it hits her she's even more confused.

She looks at me in horror and then realizes

"Emma you're freezing. Her tone is soft. Come with me."  
She says … her tone finally turning soft.  
Regina turns to walk away, expecting me to follow.

"I can't." I merely say.

I want to tell her I'm magically trapped in my spot but I'm not sure how she'll take it. Probably not very good.  
She seems oblivious to all of it.

I momentarily wonder if it's a place where one can ever really be happy, oblivion. And then she turns to look at me again.  
Our eyes lock and I realize it's not.

"Why not?" she demands to know.

 _Because your mother's magically forcing me to keep standing here._

"Because Cora told me not to."  
I refuse to use her last name or her tittle.  
Witch.  
Yeah that one could work for me.

Regina looks hurt.  
Betrayed.  
She believes me.  
I'm so happy I could cry.  
But of course Emma doesn't cry.

She steps closer towards me and takes off her jacket.  
She doesn't hesitate and drapes it over my shoulders.  
I'm speechless.  
She wraps her arms around me and takes my breath away.  
I feel the space around me do funny things and I just know Cora's magic on my feet is broken.  
She has magic too.

Our eyes meet I can see… that she has no clue of her own skills.

Her embrace soothes me to extreme extents and boy do I want to stay here.  
But I'm still naked and that bothers me because it's still a humiliating situation.  
She swallows nervously.  
I can imagine it's a lot to handle for her right now.  
Her mother has very very weird punishing methods.

"Emma what did you do?"  
She catches me off guard with that one.

I look at her in confusion.

"Why did Mrs Mills punish you?"  
She must think I've done something very horrible for her mother to have such a severe sanction for me.

"I…" I'm thinking. I really am.  
"I'm not sure." Is all I come up with.  
Because I'm really not sure.  
 _Because I can't think I'm special?_  
I honestly never thought I was.  
I'd like to think someone special has a nicer life than I do.

Regina looks at me in disbelief for a second.  
But I don't falter and just stare back at her.  
"She said something…" how do I put this.  
"I shouldn't think I'm special." I don't say it loud.  
But I do say it.

She hears it and frowns.  
Regina doesn't seem to like those words and I feel a spark of hope come to life inside my heart.

She looks back at me.

"Emma."  
She doesn't say anything after that.

After that she walks me towards a room where she hands me a robe to cover myself with. Her room and her robe, I reckon.  
I'm so embarrassed by the whole situation.  
Keep in mind that I've been crushing on this woman since forever and that she's absolutely the most breathtakingly gorgeous human being there is and ever will be.

Scratching the back of her neck she seems to be thinking deep and hard.

"Why don't you go rest for the rest of the day?  
Come back to my office around 5 so I can see if you've been able to recover a bit." She's actually concerned.  
Sweet sweet Regina Mills.

I nod and give her a little smile, showing her my appreciation.

"Thank you"  
I manage to say and then turn around and leave her to it.

The hallways are empty since everyone's in class and I get to the dorm room without being seen by anyone easily.  
Luckily, because it'd be pretty weird to be spotted in nothing but a satin robe.  
We don't get these type of clothes.  
We get old stuff.  
I actually haven't gotten anything new in a long time.  
Which isn't a problem since I'm not gonna grow out of anything anytime soon, am I? I chuckle at the thought and shake my head.

So magic, that's the trick.  
I know I don't actually know shit about what's going but now at least I know there's stuff to know.  
For sure.  
Because my suspicion has always always there.

And Regina, she saved me from Cora's torture.  
Regina has magic as well.

I sigh.  
Somehow I read Cora's thoughts, and she read mine, right?  
That was why she got angry, right?  
Because of my thoughts… or because she felt me in her head?

She did seem shocked.

I'm in bed now. Beneath a flimsy blanket.

I could sleep for forever.

* * *

 **So, that was that... :)**


	3. We see the lights in the sky

**Short one!**

 **CHAPTER 3**

 **EMMA'S POV**

When I wake up it's dark.  
I have no doubt it's way past 5 and I can basically hit myself for missing my meeting with Miss Mills.

I squint my eyes a little, trying to focus on anything and then see that all of the bunk beds around me are filled.  
 _So I missed dinner as well._  
 _Grant._

I can only imagine the actual hour  
but decide not to ponder on what time it is or isn't and dismiss the thought.

My feet take me through the hallways of the institution towards my safe place.

As I roll myself through the small passage the cold night air hits me, but I'm fine.  
This is nothing compared to what I've been through earlier today.  
I rest my head against the chilled stone and put my hands next to me on the ground where I sit.  
My right hand lands onto something round.  
I'm confused and pick up whatever it is.

I can't help but smile when I see the apple.  
Since I haven't eaten since breakfast this will come in handy sometime during the night when my stomach will undoubtedly start to grumble.  
I put the apple in my lap and absentmindedly glide my fingers over it's smooth skin.

As I sit there with my back against the wall and look up at the blanket of lights covering the infinite darkness...  
I can't help but wonder if any of those lights see me. And if they do, are they laughing at me?

A small cough abruptly pulls from my thoughts. I hold my breath.  
Shit.  
I need to get out of here as fast as possible.  
Someone coughs again and I realize the noise is coming from outside.  
From the other side of the wall.  
From the side of the tree and I almost can't believe it.  
I gasp.  
Probably too loud because they hear me.

"Hello?" a warm voice speaks up.

It's her.  
My head spins.

"Regina?" The name is out before I know it and I could slap myself.

"I'm sorry Miss Mills." I quickly correct myself.

It's quiet for a moment.  
Maybe I was wrong.  
Maybe it wasn't Regina.  
Maybe there's no one there and I imagined it all.  
Maybe I'm sleepwalking. Maybe I'm

"Emma?" She hesitantly asks and I swear I almost faint on the spot.

"Yes. It's Emma."  
I decide to confirm, hoping it won't get me into trouble.

"What are you doing out there Miss Mills?"  
I just can't help it, I'm too curious.

"I… nothing I just like it here. Look you can't tell anyone. And"  
She trails off  
"Not Mrs Mills either."  
She sounds so young when she says that.

"Where are you?" her tone's little afraid.  
I facepalm myself.  
She's probably utterly confused since she can't see me.  
Thinks I'm invisible or something.

I chuckle at the thought of that actually being a possibility since magic seems to be a thing.  
"Oh sorry, I'm on the inside." I explain to her.

"Where's that?" It's still not clear to her.

"I don't know there's some kind of hole in the wall here and… I've been coming here since… forever."  
Forever has a whole new meaning.  
I've probably literally been coming here since forever.

"Oh" she seems to understand now.

"You know what I mean?" I smile, a little confused she actually knows what I mean.

"Yeah it's the dog toilet." She laughs.  
Her laugh is very very very beautiful but her words confuse me.

"The what, there's dogs here?"

"There were at some point."  
She says sadly and I don't want to pry but I do want to know so that's why I ask her.

"Why are they gone?"  
She doesn't respond right away and I almost think she's left

"Because I liked having them around."

And I instantly know what that means.

Cora's got her as trapped as she has the rest of us.

Even if Regina gets to see the other side of the wall and what lays beyond.  
She's not free.  
Freedom is more than walls or no walls or spells that keep you tied to a single spot in a weird bathroom.

"What was that place you found me in today?" I ask her.

I hear her shrug. "I… I don't know."

"Did you never stop and wonder. Wow this kind of is a weird room…"  
I try to make it sound comical, to make the conversation seem light.  
But really it isn't, is it?

"I…" she's thinking "no" and she sounds weary.  
A little annoyed even.

"Emma, why do you keep asking all these weird questions?"

"Because things don't add up!" I respond to her right away.  
She sighs loudly.  
Probably wishing I wasn't so damn weird.  
She's gonna get angry if I keep talking about it.

"What are you doing out there?"  
I bravely ask her, hoping I'm not out of line by doing so.

"Nothing much. Sit. Think. Not think. I like it here." She says

I can imagine she does.  
Who wouldn't.  
Anything's better than being inside the walls.  
I wish I was allowed outside.

"Yeah I bet it's nice, not having to look at walls."  
I try to make it sound light, I don't want her pity.

"Oh yes" She smiles as she answers.  
I hear her smile.  
Then she's quiet.  
She realizes I never get that privilege.  
She regrets sounding as happy as she did while admitting it's nice.

"It's okay. I'm happy for you" I tell her and she still doesn't answer but I understand.

"You weren't there at 5." She suddenly speaks again and I close my eyes in defeat, she's dismissed the other subject.

"Yeah sorry, I slept until now."

"How long did she make you stand there?"  
She sounds mad, but not at me.

"Honestly, I have no idea. I was there since first period."

She's silent again.  
I think that means she realizes I'd been standing there an awfully long time.

"What do you see?" I ask her.  
I close my eyes and imagine her smile.

"Nothing much. I see the lights in the sky." She says

"As do I." I softly tell her.  
She probably doesn't hear me through the wall when I speak this quietly.

"What else do you see?" I ask her a little louder.  
Hoping she'll tell me of all the wonders in front of her.

"Pavement." She merely answers.

My face scrunches up, because that's obviously not the answer I was expecting.  
I know there's at least a tree there.

"No woods?" I ask her.

"Woods? Emma you know there's no such thing."  
She says somewhat annoyed.

I roll my eyes and can't believe she's actually trying to fool me like this.

"Regina I can see the tree from here, I know it's not fiction."

"Excuse me?"  
She really genuinely sounds confused.

"The apple tree, I can see it. One of the branches hovers over the wall."

"An apple tree?"

"Yeah, Regina, an apple tree. A tree with apples. Apples hanging from a tree.  
Who would have known."  
It's my turn to be annoyed.  
I can't handle all these lies anymore.

"Miss Swan, you ought to address me by my last name. And you should return to your bedchambers immediately."  
The cold tone is back.

"But. look I'm sorry Miss Mills. I didn't"

"Now." She growls.

I gather she's sick of my weirdness.  
She probably gets how her mother could punish me so severely,  
since I'm so fucking annoying and strange.

"But the apple tree'"  
I check once more but I shouldn't have

"There's no such thing Miss Swan. Go. Now. Before I get the principle."

Oh it stings when she says that.  
She basically threatens to let the devil loose on me.  
She now knows what her mother is capable of when it comes to me and she still says such a thing.

I want to cry.  
Almost do.  
But obviously don't.  
Then I leave without saying another word.  
I get into bed and shiver.

Under my bed there's a robe and an apple I wish I could forget all about.

 **REGINA'S POV**

Why Emma Swan keeps doing these things to get herself into trouble is a huge mystery to me.  
She's a bright girl, popular and very beautiful.  
But I shouldn't focus on her beauty as much as I do.  
It's wrong.  
I sometimes don't get myself.

If mother knew… I shake off the thought.  
I'm pretty sure it's the one thing mother doesn't know about me.

Why would she make up something like an apple tree?  
It makes no sense, no sense at all.  
One moment she's completely normal, easy to talk to even.  
Then the next thing I know, she sounds like a complete lunatic.  
Maybe mother's methods are strange, but perhaps she knows how to fix Emma.  
Fix Emma.  
That sounds horrible.

What I know was done to her today does seem like horrible punishment though, and I can't seem to phantom how that could ever help the blonde in any way.

Emma was shaking.  
Her skin covered in goosebumps.  
Her fair skin.  
I swallow.  
I'd never think I'd see another woman without clothes.  
Especially not Emma.  
It shouldn't affect me the way it does.  
The circumstances were weird.

All circumstances where I'd see Emma without clothes would be weird and inappropriate but why does it take so much strength of myself to not imagine any.

I turn myself on my right side and sigh.  
I hope sleep will come soon.

I hadn't allowed myself to look at her body that much, luckily.  
That's good of me, I praise myself for that and then remind myself of how it's only normal.  
But it still somehow feels like an accomplishment.

Emma would surely not have appreciated prying eyes on her, not in that situation. Not in any situation.  
Not my eyes.  
Killian Jones's, perhaps.  
I've seen them kiss.

I can't help but wonder if that's all they do.  
Also what kissing is like.  
All the wondering makes me sleepy and I guess that's when I fall asleep because that's the last thing I can remember before my mind goes blank.


	4. The peace offering

**New chapter :) I really hope you'll like where this is going. A lot is going to happen in the next chapters so hold on tight :D  
Thank you for the feedback and the follows, you guys! Feel free to continue to let me know what you think!**

 **Here we go :)**

 **CHAPTER 4**

 **EMMA'S POV**

"I'm telling you Rubes, he was drooling all over you!" I laugh.  
She hates, but secretly loves how I point out how pretty much every guy wants her.

"Oh shut up!"  
She shouts at me, a small grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Oh come on! I know you're not blind."  
I snort, rolling my eyes at her.

"Besides how would you know? Don't you have your own man to focus on?"

She nudges my shoulder with her own and I nod, smiling.

"Yeah I've got myself the captain of this ship." We both laugh.

He tightens his grip on my shoulder and grins while placing a kiss in my hair.

"That's right, Swan. I've got you trapped in my nets"  
Killian jokes, making me chuckle.

I'm not gonna tell him he doesn't.  
He knows that well enough.

"So what did Mills need from you yesterday?" Ruby asks me.

I'm momentarily startled, before I realize she means the witch.

Not the queen.

"Oh." I sigh.  
Thinking of an okay answer.  
I'm sure as hell not gonna tell her the truth.

"You know. I can't space out during classes yada yada. Same old bullshit."  
I'm confident of how casual I sound.  
She swallows my lies easily, which is a huge relief.

That's when Regina Mills walks into the room.  
Illuminating it instantly with her mere presence.  
I swoon.

Jones let's go of me and goes to sit at his own desk.  
I offer him a small smile and am happy when he returns it.  
It's still two minutes before time so I figure I can afford to get this over with before class starts.  
I pick something from my bag and walk towards Mills's desk.

"Hi." I say.

She doesn't look at me.  
Just opens one of her binders and pretends to be busy.

I can't help but roll my eyes.

"Miss Mills?" she looks up now.  
Her eyes are pretty much emotionless.  
No smile, no disdain either.  
 _Okay._ I sigh.

"I want to apologize for my behavior." I start.  
My voice is small, but it's there and I hope it's enough and she accepts my apology.  
I can't have her be mad at me.

I'm pretty sure she's suppressing a small smile.  
I tell myself she is.  
I like that thought and so continue to talk in the same fashion.

"I realize it was disrespectful of me to go on like that and I'll try to not be such a pain in the ass anymore."  
I could have chosen better words to express myself but yeah.

She blushes a little and glares with that teacher-gaze of hers.

"Language Miss Swan."  
Still, it sounds somewhat playful when she says it, in a way.

I clear my throat "Yeah sorry."

and look away from her pretty brown eyes.

My teeth bore into my lower lip and I gather all of my strength to follow through with the rest of my plan to make it up to her.  
I put the apple I've been holding on her desk.

"Here.' She looks at the fruit as soon as it comes into sight

'What's that for?" and then looks at my face.

"Peace offering?" I shrug my shoulders, hoping she'll take it.

The smile she flashes me blows me away.  
I know I'm as red as the apple and nod.

"Thank you Emma." she tells me.

I nod again and return to my seat.

 **REGINA'S POV**

Okay it's a little cheeky of her to give me an apple as a peace offering,  
as she likes to call it.  
Especially after last night's events.  
But that girl is impossible to stay mad at.  
There's just something about Emma that is…  
and I can't think of the right word but I fear it might be 'charming'.

I look at the apple and can't help but appreciate it's appearance.  
How random to think of a fruit as pretty.  
It's shiny, blood red.  
I've rarely seen apples this appealing.  
Have I ever?  
The ones in the facility's restaurant are usually much smaller and less deep in color.  
I guess she must have really picked this one out carefully for me.

My heart skips at the thought.  
I hate it. But it does.

When the bell rings, signaling the class is supposed to start I get up and start talking about where we left off yesterday.

Miss Swan is trying hard to participate and not space out.  
I'm proud of her.

It's pretty bizarre how she has no problem in understanding everything,  
especially since she wasn't here yesterday.  
She even manages to use the same wording I would and have when she refers to certain types of fear.

There's always the chance she really did go through my paperwork but why would any student try to gather information about class material they haven't even seen yet? That would be weird, right?  
Even for Emma.

I give them an assignment to write about their own fears and how, according to the rules they've learned, they should go around it.

I can see Emma sigh but decide not to call her out on it.  
She's been on her best behavior the entire time so far.

When I sit back down at my desk I see the bright red apple and how it's tempting me to take a bite.  
I look up and see that the students are all-in deep thought, looking down at their papers.  
No reason why I shouldn't allow myself to indulge in a small snack.

I reach out an wrap my fingers around the crimson treat.  
I look it over.  
It's so shiny I can almost see my own reflection in it's skin.  
I glance at Miss Swan.  
She's not looking at me when I set my teeth into her peace offering.

I'm momentarily lost in how sweet it's juices are.  
My mind floods with colors and images I can't seem to register.  
Until one blurry vision turns clearer.  
And I can't believe my closed eyes, right now.  
I see a beautiful familiar tree standing tall, the sight makes me feel warm and safe inside.  
It's long branches are covered with green leaves and there's countless amounts of apples hanging from it.

My brain feels heavy when I open my eyes.  
Like it's working ten times as fast and intensive than just moment before.  
I look at the apple in my hand and can now recall all of the times I've tasted the same type on many different occasions  
surrounded by people that I could never forget about, but only now remember.  
That doesn't mean I understand how that can be though.

I'm completely dumbfounded and slowly dare myself to look up.

The entire class has remained silent as requested but I've got about 60 eyes staring into my direction,  
each and every one of them just as confused as the other.  
And I will myself to keep breathing.

"Everyone's ready, I can collect?" I ask as teacherly as I can manage.

They all return their attention to their papers.  
All but one.

I zone in on Emma.  
No confusion in her eyes.  
It almost looks as if she knows exactly what I'm thinking.  
Strangely enough, it's not a scary thought and now she's smirking  
 _What the hell?_  
and raising her eyebrows.  
I wish I knew what she was thinking, I keep staring at her.

Her eyes are so green.  
Even from 4 meters away I can see how fucking green they are.  
She keeps smirking.  
What is she smirking about?

She's extremely amused at the profanities my inner voice uses.  
And then my eyes widen.  
She smiles knowingly and I loose all sense of breathing.

She shushes me.  
And I can't believe I let her.

She dares me to admit that I believe her now.  
I tilt my head and narrow my eyes.  
Still clueless as to how all of this is happening.

The apple slips from my hand and I look at it, laying on my desk.

She'd seen it.  
My tree.  
As unbelievable as it seems, I'm now entirely sure that she hadn't lied.  
I find myself actually relieved to learn that she's not crazy.

When the bell goes, the students storm out, leaving the class empty.

Only Emma stays behind.

I'm nervous for what she's about to say and she knows it.

Her smile is soft and it soothes me somehow.

"Emma."  
I'm addressing her with her first name but I don't correct myself.

She seems to like it.

"You're okay?" She asks concerned and I nod.  
She does too.

"What just happened?"  
I find my voice but it sounds breathless.

She thinks for a couple of seconds and then starts speaking.

"Well first. You took a bite of an apple from the tree I told you about."

I now feel ashamed for not believing her last night about it being there….  
But what was I supposed to think? She goes on

"And it seemed to trigger something inside of you."  
then waits for my confirmation.

"Yeah. How did you know that was going to happen?"

"I didn't. I honestly had no idea."  
And I believe her because Emma's been nothing but honest to me.  
I nod quickly, to let her know I believe her.

I'm biting my lip, waiting for her to continue because so far her explanation doesn't answer all of the questions I have.

"And I think you should know…" She tells me cautiously.

She waits. She waits. She sighs.  
"You've got magic."

"What?!" I spat out, taking a step backwards.

Her face is red, she's thinking of ways to calm me.  
The thought makes my head spin a little,  
turns my heart light.

"I know it sounds crazy but I've felt you use it.  
Yesterday when you found me. You know, standing there…"  
 _naked…_ I know she's not gonna say it out loud.  
I nod in understanding and watch her swallow.  
She's obviously still embarrassed I saw her like that.  
Also traumatized because of what mother had done to her.

"I told you I couldn't move, I couldn't follow you… I wasn't joking Regina.  
I _literally_ couldn't move. She'd hexed my feet somehow."

I'm utterly confused.  
"Who?" I ask.

"Cora!" she exclaims frustrated.  
"Your mom, Regina. She'd magically trapped me in that spot.  
And then when you touched me I felt the restraints on my feet vanish,  
just like that. And I knew it was you. You might not realize it Regina but that doesn't change anything about the fact that you. Have. Magic."

I'm sure I'm about to faint.  
The story sounds completely nuts but I can't help but believe every single word that leaves Emma's lips.

Feeling speechless I try to focus on my breathing.  
Emma must notice, she steps closer and places a hand on my right bicep.  
The contact startles me before I relax.

I have a lot of questions but I have to start somewhere.

"Why would mother use magic on you?"  
I wish there is some kind of explanation for her horrible methods, my mother…  
she can't be pure evil, can she?

"That's…" Emma thinks.  
"I honestly am not a 100 percent sure as to why she did it.  
Initially I was just called into her office for what I think would have been a lecture about my less than perfect behavior during classes."  
She purses her lips awkwardly and I wish the ground would just swallow me whole already because I know it's my fault mother knew about Emma's trouble with concentrating.

I want to apologize but she's already continuing.

"but… you know me .. good old Emma Swan…" she chuckles sadly.  
"my mind was already wandering off again and I just was staring at her and thinking.. you know _stuff_ and her face became furious, it was creepy Regina."  
She gasps at the memory.  
Sadly I can imagine that it indeed must have been creepy.

"The next thing I know I realize I know exactly what she's thinking, shocking her and me both, to be fair.  
She gets up and drags me towards that… room … whatever that was.. and yeah. What followed wasn't very pleasant and I'd like to just forget about that."

Her voice wavers slightly.  
My heart is aching and breaking and I move up my hands to rub her arms,  
trying to offer some comfort, if she'll let me.

She lets me.  
She stares at me and I have to ask…  
"Emma, she didn't... touch you did she?"

Her eyes widen at the idea.  
"No she didn't. She just watched." She replies quickly.

"She only touched my arm and other than that the only thing touching my body was endless amounts of ice cold water."  
I can't believe my ears, but I'm still relieved mother didn't force herself upon the girl. "Oh yeah and she spit at me."  
The blonde adds through gritted teeth and that's enough for me to be disgusted to the core.

I have no idea how I'm ever going to be able to look at mother again.

I pull Emma into a hug, which I hope she'll find comfort in.  
Her body leans into mine without hesitation, which relieves me, let me tell you.

Her blonde hair is in my face while her head rests on my shoulder and I can't shake the feeling that I want to take a nap here.  
She starts laughing and I feel caught.  
I'm blushing like a teenager and clear my throat.

"Okay, the whole mind reading thing is really weird." I mutter nervously.

She shrugs agreeingly.

"So…" I'm gonna attempt to summarize the situation real quick.  
"I have magic."

She nods.  
"And mother… Cora has magic."  
Another nod.

"And you have magic."  
That's when her face goes emotionless before her eyebrows scrunch up in confusion.

"Euhm no." She then tells me.  
I narrow my eyes at her and open my mouth to say something.

"I'm just Emma." She smiles awkwardly.  
I _just_ roll my eyes at her and shake my head.

"Just Emma?" I challenge her and her blush deepens.

"Yeah."

I let out a deep breath.

"Then how come you were in Cora's head? And mine? Then why can you see the apple tree. I for one can't. And your strange theory about our lack of aging…"  
I sigh because this is so much to handle at once.  
"Look I have no idea how that's even remotely possible but I can't help but believe you somehow…"  
Her eyes glaze over with emotion now, it's beautiful, then she looks down.  
"But there'd have to be an explanation why you're the only one that notices."

I really want her to look at me.  
I reach out for her and tilt her chin with two tentative fingers, until our eyes lock.

"I can't have magic." It's a whisper.

"Why not?"  
My voice sounds hoarser than it ever has, I realize I've become very emotional myself. It's like I feel what she does.

She's doubting herself…  
If she has magic and this place really is a trap like she's always believed it to be,  
then surely she's supposed to know a solution… but she doesn't.  
Even with magic, she's powerless.  
Those are her thoughts and they break my heart,  
because she has no idea what she's capable of.  
She's already awakened me, after all.

"I can't handle it Regina."  
Her shoulders hang low.

I shake my head slowly and keep looking straight at her.

"Me neither."  
I confess and release her chin only to take one of her hands in my own.

"But _we_ … _we_ might, Emma."  
For all the times when she's tried to convince me of the truth, I'd never believe her… Now the rolls are reversed.  
I'm the one having to convince her of the undoubtable truth that she-perhaps we- can actually make a difference.  
I have no idea how I'm so sure of this…  
But somehow I am, when I look at her.

"Your mother can't know any of this."  
She tells me with pleading eyes and I nod frantically, agreeing with Emma.  
I really really do not want to find out what would happen if mother learned about what we know.

"What happens now?"  
I ask releasing her hand and I instantly feel much colder.

She seems to be thinking deep, and I wait patiently for her to say something.

I could try to think of something myself,  
but Emma's so much better at this than I am.  
I've always only been good for taking orders anyway.  
Emma's eyes shoot up to look at me and there's pure determination spilling from deep green gems.

"Don't ever think you're anything less than perfect, Regina."  
Her voice is both sincere and stern.  
I blink a few times and the moment is gone.

"I don't have access to the interesting part of the library."  
I know she's starting to form a plan. A plan for what?  
"You do, right?"

"Yes, I do. But what would I be looking for?"  
I don't want to return empty handed and let her down.  
She grabs my shoulders.

"Hey don't worry. Just have a look okay?  
Just search for anything that says anything about magic."  
She brushes her thumbs in soothing circles against my shirt.  
I'm instantly calmer and at the same time, not.

"Okay, I can do that."  
She flashes me a smile "Good girl." and grins wide.  
I narrow my eyes and shoot her a glare to let her know that I'm not amused.  
But I am. Of course I am.  
And she knows it. Of course she does.

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading. Really hope you liked it! :O**


	5. As fast as I can

**Some answers and some questions... :O**

 **CHAPTER 5**

 **EMMA'S POV**

As I walk out of Mills' classroom I feel like a different person.  
The world is a new place and the possibilities are endless.  
Also, for the first time since… ever… I'm not alone.  
I have an actual person that doesn't think I'm crazy.  
A person that matters.

I'm very late for my next class and decide upon skipping it.  
I'm sure Mr Glass will manage without me.  
I walk the empty corridors to my favorite spot in the whole wide…  
well, in this hell hole.  
Which I learned yesterday is actually a dog toilet.

I can't help but laugh at that.  
Is that supposed to be a metaphor for my life?

Cora surely thinks of me as a piece of shit.

When I'm there I look up at the branch I've come to appreciate to extreme extents and smile.  
I stay there like that for a while.  
The weather is pretty nice and I could use a break.

My mind wanders off for a while.

Obviously, I was shocked myself when I found out I could read Regina's mind.

I wasn't able to do that before.  
What changed?  
She remembers...

She was definitely shocked to learn about magic… and that she has it.  
Regina says I have magic too.

I guess… I guess she's right, no?  
How else would you explain that I can read her mind?  
And well, Cora's too of course… but I don't have too good of an experience with that.  
I don't actually plan on going in there anytime soon again.

I have to pee. That sucks.  
I don't actually want to get up but nature calls and there's no stopping nature.  
So I go back inside and stroll towards the girls' bathroom.

Before I get there, I'm suddenly startled by an unpleasant presence.

"Miss Swan." She sneers and I hold my breath.  
The last time I saw her she was _magically_ torturing me.  
She didn't think I was still standing there right?

Then my concern shifts towards…  
But before I can complete my thought I stop myself.  
She's prying, I can feel her.

"Cora."  
I sneer back at her and she hates that I never actually address her with her title.

"I wasn't quite finished with you."  
Her ugly voice cuts through the deafening silence.

"Well I was finished with you." I shrug and try to walk away.

She takes a few quick steps forward and pushes me against the wall.  
She's holding something soft.

"Care to explain what this is and why I found it under your bed?"  
My eyes widen when I see what she means.  
I block out any and all thoughts about what I know about _the robe._

"You make no sense. I have no idea what you mean."  
I manage to sound casual and unfaltered by her proximity.  
She's so close, I feel her breath on my face as she breathes heavily from anger.

"You stole this from my daughter. You sick filthy animal. You went into her chambers and stole her favorite robe."  
I will my mind to think of algebra and she knows it.  
I can't talk to her right now, my emotions would spill.  
It's too dangerous.

"You're going to pay for this."  
She growls and forces my head towards hers while she grabs onto my face and forces my eyes open, so I'm looking at her.  
She glares and if looks could kill I'd have died one hundred times during that one second.

She's trying to get into my head.  
My mind yells at her that she has to stay out.

Her eyes glow silver and I'm in shock.

"It's you, isn't it?"  
She whispers in my head and I can honestly say I'm scared shitless.

I try to be brave and tell her to fuck off.  
And then she smiles.  
It's disgusting and even scarier than her angry face.

She cackles happily and tries to grab my arms but I pull away and start to run.  
As fast as I can.  
As far away from her as I can manage.  
She initially comes behind me but when the bell rings,  
the corridors start to fill with students and there's no way she's faster than I am.

"Em! Wait up! Where have you been?" it's Killian.  
I look around to spot him and shake my head in desperation.  
I wish he could be there for me right now.  
I could use his help.  
But he wouldn't believe a word of the truth and so I keep running.

I know he's running after me now.  
I haven't really put a lot of thought into where I'm going.  
But my feet are carrying me towards the left wing of the facility.

"Em where are you running off to?" I hear the captain's voice.  
I turn around but never slow down.

"Don't follow me Kill. I… I gotta get out of here…"  
I almost almost almost cry.  
But of course… I don't actually do.

He gasps.  
I mean he really gasps at my words.  
No one's ever left.

"Em! That's illegal. You can't. They'll punish you… Don't run. It could"

whatever comes out of his mouth after that, is completely muffled by the painful sound of a loud siren.  
I've made it to the left wing… and I guess Killian has as well.

These are the staff's quarters.. anybody who works for Cora resides here.

And of course… It's where the devil herself has her chambers.  
It's pretty dead right now, since everyone is at work.  
I figure that _if_ there is a way out of here it must be in this part of the building.  
And then I remember… Regina…  
She goes outside the walls... I've been in her room.  
She took me there the other day when she helped me.  
I know where to go now. I run towards my goal.

I see the door I need to go through in order to get to her room, in order to find an exit. Killian is hot on my heels now.  
He grabs my wrist and pulls me back.

"Stop Killian! Let go of me!" I yell in frustration.

"Em you gotta come to your senses!" he yells over the ongoing alarm.

I shake my head and yank my arm away from him.  
The door I need to go through is locked but it doesn't matter because I am so strong right now.  
I kick the lock loose effortlessly and start looking around.  
No doors. Not one.  
And then, behind a corner, I almost missed, I see it.  
My heart skips a beat because there it is.  
A single window.  
It's open and there's wind hitting me.  
A light breeze that feels both so foreign and familiar.  
It's delicious and I run towards it.  
Outside it's misty.  
I can't see much on the other side but I know for a fact that I don't spot any walls so of course that's where I want to be.  
Somewhere behind me I can still hear Killian begging me to stay.

But I can't.  
I climb out of the window and start running.  
First soil, then grass.  
I hear a shot, then another, then I stumble, fall and things turn black.

 **REGINA'S POV**

I'm carefully controlling my breaths.  
I have a free hour now so I'm not going to waste any time by sitting around.  
No, I want to get to the library as quick as possible.  
I'm sure it'll take forever to find something useful.  
If I'll ever find such a thing at all.  
I really hope Emma will come up with another plan soon.

If she really believes I'm going to find something…  
I'm afraid her trust is completely misplaced.

Once I get to the library I start searching right away.  
There's no section about magic, obviously…  
So I think hard and deep of how to approach this.  
History books perhaps?  
I make my way to where I know those are and then accidentally bump into someone.  
The man almost falls to the ground and I apologize immediately

"Oh I'm so sorry Mr…" He looks up "Mr Gold." I smile.  
Mr Gold, the librarian, smiles back at me.

"Don't worry about it dearie, no harm done."  
He pads my shoulder and starts to walk away when I notice he's dropped something.  
I go to pick it up and turn towards him.

"Mr Gold."  
But he's gone.  
 _That was fast._  
I happen to glance at the book. Golden letters catch my eye.

The book cover is completely made out of leather but the tittle is shining bright in golden letters.

"Once Upon a Time" I breathe.  
I cautiously open it.  
The drawings are gorgeous and I look at the text.  
It's a story.  
Initially you'd think it's just a fictional tale but my eye falls onto something that makes me feel dizzy and shocked.

Emma's name is in here.  
Her full name: Emma Swan.

White actually.. Emma Swan White.

And not just that… it says Princess Emma Swan White.  
I realize this book is exactly what we were looking for.  
It's creepy how I found it so easily.

Or how it found me.  
I don't understand what Mr Gold was doing with it.  
But there's no time to really worry about that now.  
I should get to reading.

I take a seat in the back of the library,  
no one will disturb me here and I start from page one.

The things I read are unbelievable but somehow I know that all of it is true.

I think I've cried ten times during the whole thing.

I wish I could remember any of this, but sadly enough I can't.  
My mother's been brainwashing me, I have no doubt about it.  
The book is basically all about my mother and Emma's parents and Emma herself, of course.  
It says very little about me.  
I'm Cora's only child but that doesn't seem like it's been something very significant in her life.

I'd tell you the whole story but it is long and very emotional for me.  
So, let me just give you the basic idea of what I've learned from the book.

Once Upon a Time the world was ruled by two Kingdoms, two forces if you will. Light and Dark.

The White's and The Mills'.

The White's ruled a peaceful kingdom and possessed light magic.  
The Mills's had Dark magic.  
The dark Queen was a vicious woman, always hungry for power.  
It probably won't surprise you when I tell you it's talking about my mother.

Both Kingdoms were equally large and existed alongside each other without major complications.

See, Light and Dark needed each other.  
I'm imagining it like two sides of a battery.  
You need both the plus and the minus for something to work.

The white Kingdom had made peace with the knowledge that there's Darkness,  
if that's what is needed for things to be in balance.  
But Cora Mills, of course, wasn't as accepting of the White's and their Light magic.

When Queen Snow White gave birth to a daughter, Emma,  
the Oracle of the North spoke of a prophecy.

One day, a union formed between the new born from the Light Kingdom and royalty from the Dark side would cause for magic… so powerful to conquer everything….

That could mean many things for the future but for Cora there was only one option.  
This union, the power, the magic… it had to be in her favor…  
and in the end… this would be the end of Light Magic.

The White's were rightfully afraid for the life of their new born.  
They knew Cora and what she was capable of.  
They knew she would come after Emma as soon as she had a plan of how to make the prophecy reality as soon as possible.

Just the mere idea of there being an individual that is powerful enough to conquer all…  
To rule over everything. Undivided power. It's simply too dangerous.

They were right about Cora though,  
she'd already started working on a curse that would make the prophecy inevitable.

In her 18th year Emma is destined to be half of this powerful union.

Word traveled fast and when the White King and Queen learned of the news they were completely devastated.  
There was no way of undoing Cora's curse.  
But perhaps, there was a way around it.

If Emma never lives past the age of 17,  
there is no way for her to fulfill the prophecy in her 18th year.  
For their daughter to die as a teenager wasn't an option either of course  
so that's why the White's designed a spell that would make her 17 forever.

Cora was furious and it took her years to come up with a solution for the problem.

By that time Emma was almost 17 already.

She'd gotten the help of a dark, powerful sorcerer.  
Many believed he was wicked and for him to come up with such a horrible plan surely he served his name right.  
He worked his magic for Cora.

He promised her that Emma would one day become 18 and fulfill her destiny IF Cora would be able to trap and imprison the princess so no one would ever find her until destiny took place.

A little bird informed the White Kingdom of Cora's new plan and both the King and Queen knew what needed to be done.  
It broke their hearts and they loathed themselves for it but there was no other way.  
They cursed all of the children of all the realms, so no one would remember them. Everyone would forget who they were and to who they belonged,  
as would their parents.  
Even they would forget about Emma and Emma about them.

The name of their own child now sounded as random as any name would.

When Cora's curse arrived, it could not possibly identify the princess and so she took all the kids with her, leaving the entire world childless.  
Not much later, time stood still and people became zombies trapped in eternity. And from that point, just like Emma, everybody stopped aging.

So that's what I've learned.

It doesn't answer all of my questions but it does answer a hell of a lot of questions I didn't even knew I had.  
So I guess, that has to count for something…

I need to show this to Emma as soon as possible.  
She needs to know.

If Cora finds out who she is, there's no saying what she will do to her.

Surely mother already is suspicious about her.  
She knows Emma can read her mind and block her out,  
that probably alarmed her in some way.

How could it not?

Then all of the sudden an actual alarm goes off.  
Extremely loud.  
I don't see how an alarm this loud can ever be necessary.  
Surely a noise half as loud would do the trick just as well.  
I realize I've never heard this noise before.  
I have no idea what it means but I'm afraid that I am going to have to trust my gut on this one and shouldn't expect anything all too positive.  
I take the book and leave the library to see what's going on.

* * *

 **Two more chapters :) Thank you for reading!**


	6. I can hardly breathe

**Here we go :)**

 **CHAPTER 6**

 **EMMA'S POV**

My head hurts. So fucking much.  
I can hardly breathe.  
I got shot.  
I felt the bullet pierce me.  
Somewhere.  
I don't know where but I'd felt the impact throughout my entire body and fallen down hard.  
I haven't even opened my eyes yet and I know this is a complete disaster.  
I've failed.  
Bravely,… I finally open my eyes and am surprised to learn that I am in my own bed in my dormroom surrounded by sleeping teenagers.  
As if nothing has happened.  
It's only now that I notice the soft snoring around me and I'm wrecking my brain for a clue as to how I ended up in bed.  
Of one thing I'm sure… I blacked out.  
I'd blacked out… but not before I'd felt the green beneath my feet.  
Well, the soles of my shoes but… there had really been green.

I got out… well for a moment… but I did.  
Shit… I have to tell Regina!  
And then I falter.  
Regina… Had I really almost left without her?  
I… feel shame wash over me.  
I'm a horrible horrible person.  
What was I thinking? I could never leave without her.  
Not really. I would have come back, right?  
I would have saved her. Done whatever it'd take.  
I convince myself that I would have, because I really believe it and feel my heart racing hard while making my way to the bathroom.

I'm careful while moving between the bunk beds to not startle anyone awake.

My mind is filled with Regina as I'm anxious to talk to her, to see her, to

My head hurts. So fucking much.  
I can hardly breathe.

 **REGINA'S POV**

To anyone else, the day started off like any other.  
As if nothing had happened.  
As if the mother of all alarms hadn't almost deafened absolutely everyone yesterday.

After the initial shock of hearing the horrible noise I'd run out of the library.  
It couldn't have meant anything good, after all... and I was worried.  
I was worried sick about Emma.  
I really felt like panicking but that would have helped absolutely no one and so I kept my cool – kind of- and ran through the building in search of her.

And failed. Miserably.  
Before I had even covered a tenth of the facility, my mother's lovely voice had replaced the high pitched alarm and informed- let me rephrase that… - demanded that everyone... every single student, teacher and all personnel was to retreat to their respective rooms and dorms.

I so did not want to obey…  
but I knew she'd know and that would make me seem very very suspicious… Something we could really do without at this point.  
And with "we" I mean Emma and I…  
I talk for the both of us now.  
We're in this together.

I've never been together with anyone.  
Well, I don't mean… Oh hush.

The rest of the day I spent pacing my private chambers.  
Nervous and anxious.

The alarm doesn't necessarily have anything to do with Emma.  
It could be anything, really.  
I'm being terribly paranoid and there's no reason for me to be.

I didn't go to sleep and instead read and re-read "Once Upon A Time" until I could practically recite it by heart, as painful as it is.

I feel a certain sense of pride because I actually found something useful.  
I honestly can't wait to show Emma and see the look in her eyes when I share with her what I've found.

Once it was an acceptable hour for me to get ready for the day ahead I'd shot out of my sitting position in bed and gotten ready.  
I'd forgone breakfast and made my way towards my classroom immediately knowing that I had Emma the first hour and if the girl's curious nature is any indicator she'd be there just as early as me.

She wasn't.  
She isn't.  
And I'm getting terribly worried that something horrible might have happened.

Other students start to enter the room and I smile at them. Nervously. Trying to act normal.

Strangely enough… no one asks me anything.  
They don't seem to be curious about yesterday's events at all.

I'm hyper aware of the fact that I should have started today's class already but I postpone.  
Too stubborn to accept that it's time and Emma is not here.

"Miss Mills?" Killian Jones' voice startles me out of my staring contest with the door.

I turn towards him and am completely dumbfounded.  
I'm sure my eyes are bulging out… wide in shock.

"Killia… Mr Jones. I… What…."  
I don't make sense… But he doesn't either…  
This, I mean, none of this is.

He furrows his eyebrows as he looks at me funny.

"Is everything alright Miss?" he asks me.

"Yes." I smile stiffly and let my eyes wander over the rest of the students.  
They're all looking at me strangely.

Not at him.

At me.

Not at the boy that just yesterday had two full grown arms and now… only one.

My brain is working hard to come up with explanations and possibilities of how _that_ can have anything to do with yesterday's alarm  
but I don't have enough or any information to actually know anything.

"Okay." He slowly says and nods and I'm growing more awkward by the second.

All of the sudden the door opens and I'm relieved for several reasons.

The biggest and most prominent one…  
She's here, in one piece, standing.

Me, I'm blushing like a tomato because of the unmistakable effect she has on me.  
I deliberately ignore any and all feelings she stirs loose is me because I'm not about to make a fool out of myself.  
More than I already have.  
Today.

Our eyes meet and I instantly know something's off.  
She's panicking.  
Her mind is all over the place and I gently try to calm her.  
A small nod is given to me as she makes her way towards her desk.  
She sits down, stares in front of her and doesn't move the entire hour.  
I start class and try my very hardest to seem casual and ever so professional.  
I wish I possessed the power to make time go faster because this is pure torture.  
I want to embrace her, soothe her and tell her everything's alright.  
Not that I have any idea of what's going on.  
She looks spooked.

I said she doesn't move… well, this is right.  
But she _does_ flinch occasionally.

When that happens, she shuts her eyes,  
then opens them wide and stares at me in horror.  
Her lips are pressed together tightly as if she's holding back screams.

When the bell rings I can't believe how happy I am about running students.  
They leave, fast.  
Somehow sensing the uneasy atmosphere that haunts this room at the moment.

"Emma." I begin right away after I've shut and closed the door.

She opens her mouth and struggles to say something.  
Her face is so pale it's almost transparent.  
I immediately walk towards her and take her hands in mine.

They're as cold as the look in her eyes.

My heart is speeding and I'm ready to explode from the pent up tension.

"Talk to me." I plead to her.

"What's happening?"  
Her voice trembles and she sounds so scared and freaked out.

"What do you mean, dear?" I ask because...  
I thought _she_ was about to tell _me._

"I got shot." She suddenly says while making what looks like a realization.

"You what?!" Okay, now I'm freaking out.

"Regina, how did I get here?"  
she looks over her shoulder and around us as if we're being spied upon.

"Hey it's fine." I squeeze her hands reassuringly.  
I'm so utterly confused. She had said something about being shot but…

"The alarm." She says.  
My eyes go wide.

"What _was_ that? Oh I was so worried, Emma."  
I shake my head and swallow because I'm getting emotional.

"I tried to escape."

"You what?" I whisper.  
She was going to escape.  
I'm shocked to hear this.  
That's insane and impossible and so dangerous.  
And I wanted to come too.

"I would have come back for you." she softly tells me.  
She now squeezes my hands affectionately.  
My breath hitches and I bite my lip.  
I nod and offer her a small smile.

"So, what happened?" I search that pretty face of hers.

She actually smirks a little and I roll my eyes.  
I really have to start keeping these thoughts under control.

"Cora… she… the silver glint in her eyes... She said something about me being me?... What does that even mean? And I just…I ran…"  
She snorts and shakes her head.  
"I ran so fast… and I got out. I ran on actual grass, Regina… and I'm not lying… I'm serious, you gotta believe me." She stares deep into my… soul.

"I do believe you." I sigh and smile happily.  
What a time to smile happily.

"Killian was behind me and"  
her breath hitches and her eyes glaze over slightly "there were shots."

I nod, encouraging her to continue.

"The next thing I know I'm sitting here in class while everyone gets up and leaves."

"What?" I shake my head.  
I feel like we've skipped a few steps and I need her to recapulate.  
She doesn't.

Instead… she flinches, shuts her eyes, then opens them wide and stares at me in horror.  
Her lips are pressed together tightly as if she's holding back screams.

I'm not sure what this means… but I'm pretty sure it's something scary,  
entirely certain it has something to do with magic and most definitely with Cora.

I try to think fast. efficiently.

"You got shot." I say.

"I did." She hastily nods.

"I think Cora did something to you."

She looks at me with eyes that tell me she believes absolutely everything I'm saying. Complete trust. She gives me so much strength.

I sigh relieved because I can still connect with her.  
Cora's becoming tardy...  
Or her power is slinking...  
Emma was probably supposed to have forgotten everything...  
Because this makes no sense...  
Yes, the witch is loosing her powers and she doesn't even realize it.

This gives me hope. Hope that we can beat this and her.

"I believe she tried to do something to your memory…  
only she only got to your short term memory.'

Emma nods, trying to take it all-in.  
Absorb the information for as long as she's able to.  
Bracing herself to magically loose it all without warning.

"From the looks of it. She's resetting you every… few minutes I'm guessing."

Emma smiles a little.  
It's not the happiest of smiles. Of course it's not.  
Not by a long shot but there is a sense of pride in her expression.  
I blush again.  
I'm basically a puddle of goo around her.

She laughs.

"You have no reason to laugh, dear. You're cursed."  
I roll my eyes and inform her matter of factly.

She breathes in slowly and considers me gently.

"You'll figure this out." She tells me with her words, eyes and mind.

I sink in those deep greens of hers and wish I'd never have to come up again.

Until there's something else I remember and I can't believe I'd almost forgotten.

"Mr Jones" I look away from her.

"Killian? How is he?" Her concern is obvious.

"Missing a limb." I murmur and then immediately regret it as I see her eyes go wide.

"He doesn't seem to remember anything though… it's as if… he's always been one-handed."

"They fucking shot off his hand?!"  
Emma looks at me in shock and I'm speechless because… well,  
what does one say to that?

"I'm so sorry."  
I lower my gaze and look down at our hands.  
Still entwined.  
I pull my fingers loose from hers.

"Don't let go of me."

"Emma I'm so sorry about all of this."

"None of this is your fault, Regina!" she insists so persistently

"But it's my mother's doing that you're…  
she's trapped you in this loop of forgetting.. and she shot of your boyfriend's hand. It's all"

"Boyfriend?" Emma seems to be confused by that.

"I've seen you two." I raise one of my eyebrows, daring her to lie to me.

"That's just for show. It's not real." She tells me.  
I study her for a moment and decide that she's telling the truth…

"Why?" I narrow my eyes because honestly…  
I can't phantom why she'd do such a thing.

She closes her mouth, clearly not planning on speaking and

"Why are you thinking of algebra?"

She pulls up her shoulders and smiles wide.  
It makes my heart speed and flutter until her beautiful greens shut and that painful look of horror is back.

"You got shot. Magic happened. You keep forgetting but I'm gonna fix this. I think… I think Mr Gold can help us. Let's go."  
I grab her hand, lace our fingers together, pull her with me and know that I'm going to do everything it takes.

* * *

 **I'm guessing that was a little confusing, no? :p**

 **Next up ... the grand finale... and who knows... perhaps things will actually make sense then! ^^ or not. We'll see :p**

 **Thanks so much for reading!**


	7. Salty and sweet

**Hey! :)**

 **If you've reached this point... THANK YOU FOR READING! Here is the last chapter to this story.  
I hope it makes sense... It did when I was writing it...**

 **Feel free to share you thoughts. I'm always happy to connect!**

 **Enjoy :)**

 **CHAPTER 7**

 **REGINA'S POV**

I desperately hope to run into Mr Gold.  
Something tells me we will.

Yesterday he was there at exactly the right moment and he'd dropped the book that had answered so many questions.  
He's gotta know more and I gotta find out.

My mind goes back to the book and the fact that Emma doesn't even know anything about that yet.  
She has no clue of her princess status and the fact that she's to fulfill some disturbing destiny…  
I shake my head because, well, first things first and because I don't want her to panic if she randomly reads my thoughts.

"Mr Gold." I call out the moment we've reached the library.  
I frantically look around and fear that he might not be here.

"Shit." I curse and I feel her squeeze my hand, attempting to calm me.

It's sweet but she has no idea how very serious I'm being.

"Emma we"

"Someone's called me?" I hear his voice and I turn around fast enough to make my head spin.

"Mr Gold." I breath out it relief.

His eyes find Emma's and he nods in understanding.  
Did he just analyze this entire messed up situation in half a second?

"Her memory is cursed." He half asks half says.

"Yes." I say and Emma nods a little uncertain.

I understand her apprehension talking to Mr. Gold.  
She only knows him as the librarian.  
Not as the man that "accidentally" happened to drop the most eye-opening book I've ever read,  
the exact moment I was looking for –I didn't even know what I was looking for until I'd found- it.

There's not really time to explain all of that now.  
Especially since she'll have forgotten all of it again in only a few minutes or seconds. I'm not keeping track.

"Cora's magic is slacking."  
He then suddenly says and I open my eyes wide because, well... his skills are impressing.

"That's what I thought." I offer and he nods.

"But time is running out." This alarms me.  
I thought time was standing still.

"Cora knows who she is and she will stop at nothing to form the union she needs to gain the magic the prophecy speaks of."

I shiver at every single word he speaks. It's so hard to wrap my brain around all of this. Just yesterday I learned that magic is a thing and that…  
I posses it and that Emma is a princess and my mother's not only the most horrible person one could cross paths with but also the caster of this cursed existence we're living in.  
If you could call it living... and honestly, I don't think I can.

"What do we do?"  
I'm desperate to find out so I can get to it and get this over and done with.  
Because there's no way I'm going to let her win.  
Especially not without a fight.

"You must be on the right track … according to Cora's decreased power… her curse is crumbling slowly, she"

His nasal voice gets interrupted by my mother's voice of doom.

"Attention. All students and staff are immediately expected in the main auditorium. No excuses. Now."  
And I can hear her grin deviously.  
My first impulse is to do as she says and get my ass over to the auditorium right this minute… as she's told me and everyone to do.  
It's what I've always done, after all.  
Listen to her.  
But today, I can't .  
Not anymore.

I pull myself free from those thoughts and focus on Emma who flinches and panics.

"It's okay. You got shot. Your memory's cursed but we're fixing it. Just let me handle this."  
I softly tell her and somehow I must have pulled her into my arms because that's where she's currently residing.

"If you don't break the curse… and she finds Emma… there's no saying what she'll do. But it will be dark and irreversible."

He stops talking, looks into my eyes and silently informs me of how she's going to be needing the princess so the union as stated in the prophecy can be formed… so that –in Cora's case- dark can overpower all. I really hope Emma's staying out of my mind right now.

I swallow thickly and suppress the shaking of my body,  
not wanting to alarm Emma of my spiraling panic.

"Why is she letting everyone gather in the auditorium?" I ask him out loud.

I watch him shake his head and sigh.

"My guess is as good as yours, but knowing Cora…"

"What?" I hate dramatic pauses.

"Well, she's figured out it's Emma, right?"

"Right."

"Which makes all of the others useless now."  
I really don't like the sound of where this is heading.

"When something's or someone's useless to her… Cora doesn't normally hesitate to get rid of it."

"She's going to" I can't even complete that sentence.

"erase the others." So he does it for me.

I'm silent.

"You need to move fast." He startles me back to the here and now.

"What are we supposed to do?"  
I'm clueless… clearly not cut out for any of this.

"Fulfill _your_ destiny."

" _My_ destiny? I have a destiny?" I plead for him to tell me.

"We all do, dearie..." He tells me and my breath catches in my throat.

"But what am supposed to do?" I nearly choke.

"I wish I could tell you that..."  
I don't know if he really doesn't know or just feels like I should figure it out myself. Regardless, that's all I'm going to get out of him… I feel and know that.

It's only now that I realize I'm still holding Emma tightly in my arms and she lets me.  
It warms my heart but sadly there's no time to dwell on fluff and emotions like that right now.  
Whatever they mean… it's all worthless if we don't act fast and stop Cora before she…

We're running.  
Hand in hand because I'm not willing to let go of her.  
She slows me down a little because of how confusing all of this is.  
She has no clue of what's happening… and the more time passes the harder it is to quickly inform her of everything that's going on.  
That's why I stick to the basics.

"You got shot. Cora's cursed your memories. Don't worry, I got this."  
And every time she nods and squeezes my hand.  
The panic coursing through her after every time she flinches quickly decreases and makes place for a spark of hope and warmth.  
I'm extremely flattered every time that happens because honestly…  
how can she trust me to this extent?  
What have I ever done to deserve this of her.  
All I can think of is that I really owe it to her to get us out of this mess.  
And I will.  
My determination fuels her trust even more and I can't believe it but I'm smiling.

Time is running out… but finally… I can feel myself living.

When we get to the auditorium,  
obviously we're the last ones to arrive and we're not about to run in and make our presence known.  
I drag Emma with me behind the corner in the back.  
Relatively safe and out of sight I scrunch down and pull her with me.  
We're next to each other, peering around the corner at my mother that I've now officially stopped considering just that.

She's talking.  
She really loves to hear herself talk.  
I can tell by how quiet everyone is being that she's hexed them into place.  
A closer look confirms my suspicion, they're all paralyzed and numb-looking.

Then her words take the darkest turn thinkable.

"Now the time has come to let you all in on the truth."  
I gulp because I feel like this is a huge moment taking place right here.  
My mind is reeling and I feel helpless.  
I suddenly realize that I can't do this.  
There is nothing I can do to stop her, is there?

This is all going much faster than anticipated and I'm completely powerless.

What was my plan coming here anyway?

"See, you – all of you- have all been very entertaining over the last couple of decades but now it's finally time.  
Your precious little lives have served their purpose. Or not. Because let me tell you, you've all proven to be nothing more than worthless little rats.  
And now that I've found what I've been looking for I don't see any reason to hang on to any of you…"  
She chuckles darkly and I feel the bile rise in my throat.

I can't help but wonder how she'll do it.  
I wonder how she'll dispose of them and can feel myself falling apart.  
Cora is a monster, enjoying making her victims tremble before she sets her teeth into them. She loves to play with her prays before the kill.  
The woman is a predator of the worst kind.

Next to me, I feel Emma flinch again.  
I turn to face her quickly and cover her ears with my hands, firmly... while pulling her against my chest.  
Holding her close and trying to control my own breaths while blocking out the witch's voice.  
I can't stand it.  
Emma must be terrified.  
I can't allow for Cora to do that to her… not if this moment is all we have left.  
I close my eyes and breathe in Emma's scent.  
This calms me a little.  
After some time, Emma pulls back to look at me.  
I'm still holding her face between my hands, covering her ears… and am not planning to let go of it any time soon, if ever.

I smile "Hi" and try to sound gentle while greeting her without actually speaking.

The look on her face is one of wonder and awe and for a moment I'm really forgetting whatever it is that's happening around us.

"Am I in heaven?"  
She wonders and I can feel myself chuckling and tearing up all at once.

"Yes."

Her beautiful eyes go wide and her next thought completely enamors me.

"Are you an angel?"

I can feel myself blush and make a decision right there, right then…  
to nod and tell her. "I am."

"I knew it." She smiles so beautiful and brightly as if she's so incredibly happy to be here, held by me.

I keep my focus on her deep green eyes.  
I can't allow myself to think of the reality of the situation.  
Who's to say what's real and what's not anyway?

Cora can rip it all away… rip us apart even… right now…  
this moment is ours and nothing else matters.

"Wait." She halts her thoughts.  
"If I've died and gone to heaven… and you're here… does that mean you're also"  
She furrows her brows and looks so incredibly worried.

I shake my head and smile reassuringly…

"I'll always be with you, Emma." Meaning every word…  
Because I will.  
She's taken a part of me that is now irreversibly hers, whatever the future holds.

"Promise?" she's shy now.

"I swear." I nod determinedly.

The next thing I know… her eyes shift towards my lips and gods… my heart stops.  
I can't help but part my lips and lick them… I need to…

And then she flinches.

I stiffle a sob and feel my eyes sting with hot tears…  
Fuck, this hurts. _So much._  
Her eyes open and the look I receive is so very…  
I can't stand it anymore.  
I lean in and press my lips against hers.  
Capturing her bottom one softly and focus solely on this and us and her.  
I taste the salt of our tears mixed with the sweetness that is just 100% _her._  
This it it.  
Trapped since forever but this moment is ours.  
And if it's our last… it's going to be absolutely legendary.

It is. It's mind blowing and soft and so hard all at once.  
It's everything… and like nothing I've ever felt.  
It's like I'm having an outer body experience.

I pour my entire soul into kissing her and it sure as hell feels like she is too.

I've been blocking out Cora and everything that's happening around us for an unknown amount of minutes now, until it all suddenly returns.  
Very sudden and very loud.

Cora, I don't hear but there's shouting and movement.  
I open my eyes and draw back, letting my eyes wander to the scene around us.  
Where before, everything and everyone had seemed to be frozen and lifeless… now the room is bursting with life.  
Every single person is saying something, moving and … smiling… well it's smiles combined with looks of wonder, it seems.  
It almost looks like… and then it hits me.  
They're free and they are leaving.

I can feel warm hands on top of my own where I'm still holding Emma's face gently. She grabs them softly and slowly brings them down.  
I look her in the eyes and find nothing but wonder.

"I think" she speaks.

"We did it." I breath and mindlessly pull her face towards mine again to bring our lips together again.  
Because we did it.

As everyone seems impatient to leave this place,  
they all seem to move towards the left wing of the building, probably following "teachers" who know about where to find windows to exit this prison through.

Emma pulls away slightly and I search her face.

"What were you talking about with Mr Gold."

"You remember?" I'm surprised she does.

"Yes, but it's all very confusing."  
She's cute and she knows that I think so because there's that little smirk again.

I smile and blush, I feel that.

"There's a lot to explain…"  
I tell her, thinking of where to start.

She nods, looks at me intently, takes my hands and enters my mind.

It's overwhelming… she's never been this close this intense.  
It feels a little intrusive and weird but also pleasant and liberating.  
I don't make any sense but none of this is so at this point, I don't even care anymore.  
All I know is that this is Emma and she can enter me anytime.

She laughs and I roll my eyes, realizing how that sounded.

When her eyes go wider I know she's learned what I've known since yesterday.  
Since I've read the book.  
She's breathing hard now and gets up... she's pacing and thinking hard.  
I know that she's still confused about a lot of things.

"Congratulations." He startles us both.

"Mr Gold." Emma addresses him first.

"I see you've figured it out."

"Did you know?" I ask him, because if he did I feel like he could have told me.

"No." He speaks the truth which I'm honestly relieved about.

"Who _are_ you?" Emma's ready for answers.

The man breathes in and then starts to explain.

"Once upon a time… I was a mad man." He begins.

"I fell for her…"

Cora, I figure.

"I was consumed by her. Being used, yes but I couldn't care less.

That was… until she became pregnant. She was raging with anger.  
It wasn't part of her life's plan, you see. She had her eye set on the King of the Dark Kingdom. So she… got rid of our child and broke my heart."  
He tells us with great difficulty while trying to remain composed.  
I feel sorry for him but really try not to show too much pity because I figure he wouldn't appreciate it.

"Then when the princess was born"

He looks at Emma who looks a little awkward and very very cute because of it.  
"and of course… the prophecy came, I knew Cora was going to do anything to have destiny turn out in her favor.  
She's a dangerous woman… she would have captured you and done terrible things before disposing of you after you'd have served your purpose.

She didn't give my child a chance… I could not allow her to do that again"

"to Emma." I nod.

"And you." He says and now looks at me.

"I don't see what I have to do with any of this." I shrug a little uncertain.

"Oh but you do."

"I don't know."

"See, I designed this curse and gave it to her… this way she felt like she was in charge… but I'd seen you from afar, Regina…  
I knew you were destined for greatness and I knew that one day… things would turn on Cora… You were always supposed to break her curse…somehow...  
I made sure that was going to happen."

"The book." I realize.

Emma looks confused at me but then nods.  
I know she remembers what she saw in my mind and smile at her.

"There's still something I don't understand."  
She suddenly says and I watch Mr Gold tilt his head.

"You gave her the curse… why would she trust you after having done such a terrible thing to you…"  
I hadn't thought of that and immediately grow apprehensive of the man again.

He smiles a little wryly as if lost in the past and nods.

"Yes well… after those tragic events… I became desperate… I did something drastic."

"Something drastic."  
Emma repeats his words, encouraging him to go on and I admire her determination to get to the bottom of this as fast as possible.

"I sold my soul to the darkness"  
My breath gets caught in my throat and I know Emma's does too.  
I swallow and nod slowly.

"and then altered my appearance so she wouldn't recognize me. She still has no idea of who I am. She actually trusted me… and I needed her to…  
I needed for her to take me with her… to this place… so I could watch her crumble."  
His voice is hoarse and I completely understand why.  
He's waited so long for this moment and now finally… she's fallen…

Finally she's fallen. _Cora._

"Where is she? Where's Cora?"  
I suddenly realize I haven't seen her since before the curse broke.  
She couldn't have just evaporated, right?

"Hiding, I reckon. She's lost all of her power. It took everything she's got to enact the curse and now that it's broken… she doesn't get to have that magic back. It's part of the price she pays for a wicked ways."

"Her chambers." I murmur.

"Most likely." He nods and gives me a meaningful look.

He knows what I'm thinking and I turn back towards Emma.

"There's something I need to do."

I want to leave this place so very badly but not without…

"Go. But be careful."  
She nods in understanding and gives my lips a little peck making me all tingly and flustered.

I wordlessly tell her that I will and that she musn't worry.  
That I'll be back right away.  
She still trusts me and smiles.

 **EMMA'S POV**

'So the prophecy…' I start off a little awkwardly while looking at Mr Gold.

I can't believe he's played such a huge part in this.  
I know he's responsible for the curse as well… but his intentions were…  
the right ones and in the end… he's saved us all.  
It's taken pretty much an eternity… but Cora _has been_ defeated…  
He feels my gratitude and had not expected it.  
He then shakes his head and smiles.  
This confuses me a little.

"What the prophecy speaks of _will_ happen… but you're not eighteen yet, Emma... but don't worry…it will happen." He explains me.

"Cora." I gasp… "But she…"

"Is harmless now… She's lost all of her powers to the curse… when you broke it… she lost it all." He tells me.  
I know he's said it already, just moments before…  
but honestly it doesn't harm to hear it again…

He knows I could use it and I'm thankful for that.

"But then how will the union ever happen… She needs my blood or something no?"  
I wonder out loud.

"There's other Mills royalty, dearie. And it's something of much greater value that is needed."  
He now kind of smirks at me, making me realize.

"Regina…"

"A union I think you'll find much more comfort in." He's right.

I blush because _yeah…_

 **REGINA'S POV**

After a little detour I find myself in front of her door.

I'm nervous as I knock.  
I can't believe my manners and then snort and enter without her confirmation.  
She's there. Just as I had expected her to.  
It's not like she has anywhere else to go. Anywhere else to hide.

"Mother."  
It's more of an acknowledgment rather than a greeting really.  
I'm not in the mood for pleasantries.

I reckon she isn't either since she doesn't say anything and since her curse fell apart today.

But I soon remember that I have to play this smart… so I soften my tone.

"I'm proud, you know."  
I begin and she hadn't expect me to say this because she looks up at me in confusion.

"So powerful" I continue confident that she can't get into my head anymore…  
being so utterly powerless and all.  
I inwardly smirk and revel in the fact that that's private.

The glint in her eyes is unmistakable.

"So strong and magical. I would have never expected."

"Regina, dear."  
She croaks and I hide my disgust for her term of endearment directed at me.  
It doesn't suit her voice.

"All I ever wanted was for us to be happy. Independent and strong."  
She says and I call bullshit right away.

"You look tired… you should eat something."  
I offer and place one gorgeous and delicious looking apple in front of her.  
She seems a little apprehensive.

But I smile and nod at her.  
"As I was saying… I am so proud to be a part of this, mother."

Her focus is returned to my words and mindlessly she reaches out to grab the shiny fruit.

"This changes everything." I say while she bites, chews and swallows.

"You should have seen her mother. She's always believed in me and for her to be so incredibly powerful… I'm telling my pride is endless."

"What?" She spats.

I can't believe she fell for that and look at her in fake confusion.

"Emma." I say as if it's evident.

"This is about _her_?"

"Oh Cora, you have no idea how your curse broke, do you?"

Her eyes widen in horror.

"Perhaps you'll be proud to learn that I had my hand in it too."  
I gloat and watch her crumble.  
She's beginning to sweat and I look at the apple in her hand.  
Proud of my beautiful tree that I'm now finally able to see again. All thanks to _her._

"You see, when I _kissed_ her… it was as if all time stood still…"  
I laugh because that's nothing new, is it? "before it all started again…"

She throws the apple on her desk and visibly starts to tremble in fear.

"What have you done?"

"Oh I've done nothing, Cora."

"You're lying." She yells.

"I would never"

"You've poisoned me!"  
she accuses me and I can see that her head has started to spin.

"I just gave you an apple."

She groans in pain or fear, I don't know and frankly I don't care either.

"A really good one at that. You remember my tree, don't you?  
Oh you must... The one that's always stood symbol for all of my hopes and dreams… you know, those you've been suppressing and crushing since forever?... You see, it grows the most delicious fruits."  
I tell her softly, truthfully.

"I guess, I don't know … it's just settling a score? It seems the tree has a will of it's own.  
Just like the other day… when I ate it's fruit and got the control back over my own mind. Wonderful feeling, really."

"Am I dying?" She spats hatefully...

"Oh no... Although I'm not sure... I think... I think the tree's a little more creative than that.  
Something along the lines of letting you relive this moment for an infinite span of time... You know, just to make sure you don't forget it."  
I smile as sweetly as I can before her eyes close and she slumps back in her seat.

This woman that was never really my mother is finally paying and it's time for me to let go, leave and live...  
With Emma.

 **EMMA'S POV**

We meet at her chambers.  
My heart flutters when she takes my hand in hers.

Her brown eyes are directed at our united hands.

"Is this okay?"  
She asks me.  
She feels that it is and already is smiling when I nod my confirmation.

"Let's go home."  
I tell her softly and lead the way towards her open window,  
dragging her along with me.  
My eye catches sight of what's out there and it's more than I can describe.  
It's how I remember the world looks like...  
And I realize that I remember absolutely everything.  
I hadn't actually stopped to think of this...  
but my mind is now filled with memories of my life before I turned 17 and I suddenly realize the wetness on my cheeks.  
Between everything...  
 _that_ is one massive miracle, let me tell you...

A soft thumb catches each and every one of my tears.  
She looks at me intently and softly ask me, slightly hesitant.

"Do you think there's a place for me there?"

My heart swells and the smirk on my lips forms itself...  
How can she not be the most confident woman in every realm ever...?

She blushes as I clear my throat.

"You haven't been paying attention, have you, Miss Mills?"

 **THE END**


End file.
